Gold washer and amalgamator



A. F. POTTERn Ore Amaigamator; No. 9.561. Patented Jan. 25, .1853,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABIATHER F. POTTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GOLD WASHER AND AMALGAMATOR.

Specification ofLetters Patent No. 9,561, dated January 25, 1853.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that- I, ABIATHER F. POTTER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for WVashing and Amalgamating Gold and other Metals and the Ores of Metals; and I do hereby declare that the same is described and represented in the following specification and drawings.

The nature of my invention consists in arranging a water wheel in the tube which conducts the water containing the metals etc. into the apparatus; the said wheel being operated by the water etc. as it enters or descends in the tube, so as to agitate the water by the motion of the wheel; which wheel may be made to operate some additional apparatus or otherwise as may be desired so as to wash the ores or metals before they come in contact with the mercury. Also in making the outlets from the tube above mentioned which conducts the water containing the ores etc. into the bath to open into said bath at or near the bottom in an oblique or tangential direction so that the water which issues from said outlets may act in combination with the water which issues from the oblique and spiral apertures in a pipe which surrounds the bath so as to give the mercury in the bath a rotary and twisting motion and thereby bring all the water containing the metals or ores more effectually in contact with the mercury, so as to collect the gold or other metal more perfectly with greater facility than has been done before, with a cheaper machine which is operated by the water that passes through it, thereby saving fifty per cent. of the labor and performing a greater amount of work in a given time.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and the mode of using it, referring to the above mentioned drawings in which the same letters indicate like parts in each of the figures.

Figure 1 is aperspective view of the apparatus complete ready for use. Fig. 2 is a section of it cut perpendicularly through the center. Fig. 3 is a plan with the pipe or tube and cap removed. Fig. 4 the cap.

I construct a basin of the form represented at A, with a circular cavity B around the protuberance C in the center which protuberance C is provided with ribs E E, with scores F F between them which scores may be made in the form represented or otherwise provided they enter the basin at or near the bottom in a tangential direction so that the water which issues from them containing the metals, ores, etc., may act 1n concert or in combination with the water which issues upon the top of the mercury from the inclined oblique openings T 1n the pipe Q, which surrounds the basin so as to give the mercury in the basin a circular motion in the direction of the arrows a at around the protuberance, and at the same time give it a rotary and twisting motion so that the surface of the mercury will move in the direction of the arrows 6 b at the top and 0 0 at the bottom where it comes in contact with the trough.

In order to make the water issue from the scores F I fit the cap G onto the ribs E as represented in Fig. 2, and fasten it by the screws 6 which cap G has an aperture in it to which the tube H is fitted and fastened; and should be made so high that the pressure of the water in the tube when it is nearly full will force it (the water) out through the scores F into or under the mercury which should be from one fourth to three fourths of an inch deep above the tops of the scores which form the outlets for the water. The lower end of the shaft I is fitted to turn upon the pivot J on the protuberance C and the upperend of said shaft is fitted to turn freely in the top of the cap K on the tube H.

There is a water wheel L fastened to the shaft I near its upper end which is turned by the water which issues into the tube H from the trough M provided with a box 0 to receive the ores, earths, etc., to be operated upon onto the screen N, which screens them before they pass into the tube H. The arms P, P, are fastened near the lower end of the shaft I to agitate the water containing the auriferous earths so as to wash the metals or ores if the water is not sufiiciently agitated by the wheel L. A pipe should be connected to the cock V so as to supply water upon the ores etc. in the box 0; and the pipe S is connected to the cock V to supply water through the cock R to the circular pipe Q from which it issues through the openings T T as heretofore described to aid in giving motion to the mercury and also to carry off the earth, sand and refuse matter introduced with the metals from the top of the mercury and prevent some other agitating apparatus or other- Wise.

2. I also claim the openings F F or their equivalents in combination With the openings T T or their equivalents substantially as described for giving such direction to the Water as Will move the mercury in the manner and for the purposes set forth substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name before two subscribing Wit- HQSSQS.

ABIATHER F. POTTER.

Witnesses:

ED'WD. G. DENNIS, J. DENNIS, Jr. 

